Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

Changing School Culture: A Primary Literacy Initiative, All Hands On Deck, Veronica Boone-Gbesi

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to implement the balanced literacy approach to reading instruction for two-hundred sixteen kindergarten through third graders, as a means of increasing student achievement, focusing instruction school wide, and creating a collaborative instructional culture. Data to evaluate the study took the forms of teacher surveys and reflective essays, screening and progress monitoring assessments and standardized test results. Teacher surveys and reflections were collected and analyzed for consistent patterns, professional development needs, and/or areas of growth. The teacher responses were used to direct professional development workshops, and as a diagnostic tool to ascertain the need for …

The Libraries Role In The Reinvention Of Undergraduate Education, Patricia A. Iannuzzi

Library Faculty Presentations

Shifting Library Culture:

- Traditional Model
- New Model

Some In-house Strategies:

- focus on instruction as related to collections
- redefine role of liaison
- clarify expectations — link to performance review
- provide professional development
- build prestige (rewards) around instruction
- emphasize faculty voices

An Articulation Of Science Curricula In Grades Seven Through Twelve, Mary C. Donaldson Clark

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this articulation was to align the science curriculum of the Lower Cape May Regional School District with the New Jersey State Core Content Standards and to articulate the 7th and 8th grades curricula with that of the high school. Faculty participated in a summer workshop to develop a curriculum map and to set benchmarks to identify student achievement. A survey was developed and distributed to members of the science and mathematics departments to isolate problems with the curricula and to determine the extent of professional development needed in each department. A second survey was furnished to the …

Effectiveness Of Online Education In A High School Honors American Government Classroom, Lisa Yantes

Master of Education Program Theses

The internet is a tool that many students use to do research in the classroom. Students are asked to use the internet for a variety of activities ranging from general searches for information to completing a course online. The effectiveness of online courses is of interest to many educators who want to know if this method is worth pursuing. Teachers are also interested in understanding student attitudes toward online education. This study examined the effectiveness of online learning as a teaching method in an Honors American Government class that was taught using Blackboard as the delivery system. The participants in …

How Reading Recovery Teaches The Five Essential Elements Of Reading Instruction And More: Second Of A Two-Part Series, Salli Forbes, Mary Anne Doyle

Curriculum & Instruction Faculty Publications

This article is the second in a two-part series that provides information about how Reading Recovery instruction fits the recommendations of the National Reading Panel (NRP; NICHD, 2000a, 2000b). In the first article, published in the fall 2003 issue of the Journal of Reading Recovery, we explained how and why the NRP was created and described its recommendations. The NRP investigated research in three areas of reading competence that were identified as essential for reading instruction: alphabetics, fluency, and comprehension. In relation to these three areas, the NRP detailed the five essential elements listed below:

A. Alphabetics

1. Phonemic …

Raising The Bar: Encouraging High Level Thinking In Online Discussion Forums, Mary M. Christopher, Julie A. Thomas, Mary K. Tallent-Runnels

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

More universities are offering online instruction for students though we know little about effective online learning. Some have found online instruction increases student participation while others have reported that students prefer the traditional face-to-face format This study of gifted education graduate students follows the expectation that online students ought to have time to be more thoughtful with online course interactions as compared to the time-constrained interactions in a face-to-face course. Researchers evaluated students’ thinking levels (as per Bloom’s Taxonomy) in the online discussion forums required by a graduate course in gifted education. Results indicate there was no relationship between the …

Teacher And Student Perceptions Of Instructional Strategies Associated With Engagement And Achievement, Edwin D. Yoder

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was two-fold: first, to investigate instructional teaching strategies and determine which strategies were associated with student engagement and student achievement, and secondly, to investigate whether a relationship existed between student engagement and student achievement. Two survey instruments were created to collect data necessary for this purpose, the Student Survey of Teaching Strategies and a Teacher Survey of Teaching Strategies. Of 202 student surveys, 60% were returned in usable fashion. Of 102 teacher surveys, 68% were returned in usable fashion. Significant differences were found between teacher and student perceptions of individual strategies based on whether the …

Os Livros Didáticos De Matemática Na Escola Secundaria Brasileira No Século Xix [Mathematics Textbooks And Brazilian Secondary Education In The Xix Century], Karl M. Lorenz, Ariclê Vechia

Education Faculty Publications

O estudo identifica os livros didáticos de matemática utilizados no Colégio de Pedro II do Rio de Janeiro no século XIX, considerado "padrão" para seus congêneres. A partir de informações contidas nos programas de ensino adotados no Colégio de 1838 a 1900 e com auxílio da literatura especializada, foi possível identificar a autoria e o título de trinta e dois livros-texto, sendo a maioria deles escrita por autores brasileiros e um número menor escrito por autores franceses. Infere-se que houve equivalência entre os estudos de matemática do Colégio Pedro II e dos demais colégios do Rio de Janeiro e das …

Middle School Service-Learning Instructional Framework, Maryland State Department Of Education

Curriculum

Students have enormous energy, enthusiasm, and intelligence that they will devote to our commlll1ities when they are asked and given the opportunity. Schools are now doing the asking and they are creating opportunities, both in courses and as part of their extracurricular activities. Students have weather stripped and rehabilitated houses and tended animals at the zoo. They have planted marsh grass to save the Chesapeake Bay and tested streams for pollutants. They have created plays about drug and alcohol abuse and put on fashion shows for senior citizens. These are not simply nice things to do. They contribute to an …

A Comparative Study Of American-Born Chinese And Non American-Born Chinese Students' Language Learning Motivation, Language Acquisition, And Ethnic Identity Development In Chinese Language Schools, Sarah C. Tsai

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

This dissertation is a non-experimental comparative and correlational study. It compares the three variables of language learning motivation, language acquisition, and ethnic identity between American-Born Chinese (ABC) and Adopted Chinese students (Non-ABC) at Association of Chinese language schools on the East Coast of the United States. One hundred and eighty-two ABC and 70 non-ABC students enrolled in Chinese language classes in the fall semester of 2004 participated in this study. Additionally, this study identifies the teaching categories that are most commonly applied in the Chinese language school classroom.

The data were collected through a survey method. The research instruments used …

Culture Of Growth: Teacher Collaboration For The Empowerment Of All Students, Kamilla Bahbahani

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Studies

This dissertation documents an in-depth year long qualitative case study of three elementary school teachers to address the following research question: what characterizes, and what are the major influences on, an integrated, constructivist-oriented approach to elementary math instruction? The researcher, working collaboratively with the teachers, used a combination of interviews, observations, journaling, and informal discourse to learn about what they want to do in their classes, the various pressures they feel for performance and student learning, the forces they balance in making their instructional choices, and the ways in which they make instructional choices and change their approaches over time. …

Unlv Magazine, Barbara Cloud, Laurie Fruth, Caryn Key

UNLV Magazine

No abstract provided.

The Nuts And Bolts Of College Writing, Priscilla Finley

Library Faculty Research

Unusual for a style handbook, Nuts and Bolts embeds writing advice in essays that identify rhetorical structures as tools for "shaping your ideas, questions and convictions to share with others." While it offers suggestions that will help writers fine-tune their sentences and paragraphs, it has a lot to say about the machinery of college writing on a grander scale--the switches, transformers, and fans which must function well before a unit can be bolted together.

Dispute Resolution: Raising The Bar And Enlarging The Canon, Carrie Menkel-Meadow

Journal of Legal Education

No abstract provided.

Alternative Substantive Approaches To Advanced Legal Writing Courses, Michael R. Smith

Journal of Legal Education

No abstract provided.

Moore Leads Adapt Workshop In Chile

ADAPT Program: Faculty Biographies and Links

Christopher J. Moore (M.S. 1992) presented a workshop on “College Teaching and the Development of Reasoning” to more than 30 faculty at the Universidad de Tarapacá in Arica, Chile during 14–15 November 2002. Moore’s invitation stemmed from the interest of the faculty at the University of Tarapacá to initiate a multidisciplinary program for college students patterned after the successful ADAPT (Accent for Developing Advanced Processes of Thought) program developed and taught at the University of Nebraska under the leadership of Professor Robert Fuller from 1975–1997. Moore worked with Fuller in the ADAPT program and also helped develop materials for undergraduate …

Contributing Factors To Student Success In Anatomy & Physiology: Lower Outside Workload & Better Preparation., David E. Harris, Lynn Hannum, Sat Gupta

School of Nursing

Presents a study that examined the factors associated with the success in undergraduate Anatomy & Physiology coursework at Lewiston-Auburn College, University of Southern Maine in Lewiston. Details of the grading system used for the period of the study; Analysis of the independent variables that correlated significantly with the final course grades of the students; Relation between the amount of previous study of mathematics and science in both high school and college and the final course grades of the students.

Making Learning Visible: Peer Review And The Scholarship Of Teaching, Paul Savory

Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering: Presentations

This is the conference program from the March 2004 national conference, Making Learning Visible: Peer Review and the Scholarship of Teaching. This conference was hosted by the UNL Peer Review of Teaching project and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Making Learning Visible: Peer Review And The Scholarship Of Teaching, Paul Savory

Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering: Presentations

This is the promotional brochure from the March 2004 national conference, Making Learning Visible: Peer Review and the Scholarship of Teaching. This conference was hosted by the UNL Peer Review of Teaching project and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

The Case For Change : A Review Of Contemporary Research On Indigenous Education Outcomes, Suzanne Mellor, Matthew Corrigan

Australian Education Review

AER 47 examines the research evidence underpinning current government policy developed over the last two decades in an attempt to improve the educational outcomes of indigenous students. It reviews and analyses existing educational research into the precursors and concomitant factors that contribute to educational achievement for students generally and for indigenous students in particular. It argues that current policy is insufficiently underpinned by substantive research, and that changes should be made, both to research methodology and to policy content.

Assessment In Early Childhood Education, Gwen R. Marra

Master of Education Program Theses

This study investigated assessment in early childhood education. The action research investigated the effect of familiarity of a test setting on screening scores of pre-kindergarten children. Thirty-two children participated in a pre-kindergarten screening at a local school that they did not attend as students. These same children participated in the same screening at the preschool that they regularly attend. After analyzing and comparing the test scores it was determined that there was a significant difference in the scores of students depending on their familiarity with the test setting.

Integration Of Keyboarding With Fourth Grade Writing, Kevin Russell

All Graduate Projects

Keyboarding is an enhancing tool in the writing process of elementary school children in grades one through four. Studies show that learning computer keyboarding with appropriate software and instruction in the elementary grade level is a skill that is proactive towards student growth in their own writing skills. The development of supplemental keyboarding and writing activities and assessment rubrics are presented. A total of ten different technologically enhanced writing activities are presented for use in the classroom or a lab setting. The activities are complete with lesson plans, design templates, overviews of materials and assessments. The activities are designed to …

Implementation Of Self-Determination Activities And Student Participation In Ieps, Christine Mason, Sharon Field, Shlomo Sawilowsky

Center for Self-Determination and Transition

The Council for Exceptional Children conducted an online Web survey to obtain information on the instructional practices and attitudes of educators as they relate to self-determination and student involvement in the individualized education program (IEP) process. We obtained 523 usable responses from teachers, administrators, and related services professionals. Although respondents highly valued both student involvement in IEPs and self-determination skills, only 8% were satisfied with the approach they were using to teach self-determination. Only 34% were satisfied with the level of student involvement in IEP meetings. Implications include the need for longitudinal research and technical assistance, targeting administrators, general educators, …

A Rhetorical Approach To Theological Education: Assessing An Attempt To Re-Vision A Curriculum, Patrick R. Keifert, Donald Juel

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Making Inclusion Work In Rural Southeast Texas, Fara M. Goulas Ph.D., Lula J. Henry Ph.D., Kimberly Griffith Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Inclusion is a common term and everyday practice in two rural schools in Southeast Texas. A consortium based on a collaborative endeavor between the regional educational service center, the local university, and two rural school districts was established with a common goal, an effective general education environment, and pedagogical sound instruction for students in inclusive settings. Data was collected to assess the impact of the Inclusion Project. Results indicated an increase in positive attitudes toward the concept of inclusion.

Providing Meaningful Alternatives To Senior Examinations, Mary Dirksen

Master of Education Program Theses

Christian educators have a unique calling to equip their students to become active disciples of Jesus Christ. In 2001, the staff of Unity Christian High School was challenged to examine its teaching practices in this light. After a review of the current literature, two goals were adopted: (1) to provide greater opportunities for students to “unwrap their gifts” and (2) to broaden the use of authentic assessment. The staff began by amending the graduation requirements of the 2002 graduating class. Second semester exams were no longer to be administered to the seniors, and students were required to make contributions to …

Making Thinking Visible: A Method To Encourage Science Writing In Upper Elementary Grades, Roxanne Greitz Miller, Robert C. Calfee

Education Faculty Articles and Research

In order to make a dramatic change in the way teachers approach science writing, the authors found it necessary to address both science instruction as a whole and the use of writing during various stages. To guide them in this endeavor and communicate a concrete idea of an ideal foundation for highly effective science writing to teachers, the authors turned to the CORE Model of Instruction. The CORE Model on instruction, which was originally developed as a representation of the manner in which reading and writing can be linked and reinforcing to each other, is described in this article. The …

Reading Matters : A Case Study Of A Community Volunteer Tutoring Program, Leslie Clayberger Haynes

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The objective of this qualitative research was to study through a phenomenological approach Reading Matters, a community volunteer reading program to determine if students are demonstrating improvement, to uncover the characteristics of the program and the tutoring techniques used by volunteers, and to create a potential model by which administrators can design volunteer tutoring programs for other schools. One coordinator, one principal, eight classroom teachers, three volunteers, and five students participated in the study. Conclusions drawn indicate that the volunteer tutoring program was successful for the students not only for academic results but also for the mentoring relationship that the …

Students’ Assessment Of Biology Education At Marshall University, Chris A. Barker

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this thesis research was to evaluate the quality of scientific education offered in the College of Science’s Department of Biology at Marshall University. The objectives of this study were to emphasize the important aspects of higher education assessment, point out that a scientifically literate citizenry is imperative for society to function effectively, and to determine what factors contribute to differences among students with regard to their perception of the quality of scientific education they are receiving at Marshall. A survey questionnaire was administered to students in eleven biological science courses during the Fall semester of 2003 and …

Faculty Perceptions Of The Effects Of Student Evaluations Of Teaching On Higher Education Instructional Practices And Instructor Morale, Annette Rashid Gall

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The perceived consequences of student evaluations of teaching (SET) on higher education instructional practices and instructor morale were investigated. Participants were randomly selected from the 2002-2003 faculty of West Virginia’s eight public colleges, n= 274. The researcher developed self-report survey, the Gall Faculty Response to Evaluations of Teaching (FRET), was inspired by research literature. Research questions investigating the relationship between four independent variables and perception of changes in instructional practices were significant indicating that faculty consider information from student evaluations when changing teaching strategies. Research questions investigating the relationship between four independent variables and perception of changes in instructor morale …